Got A Minute? With Richard Humiston

Published: Tuesday, February 18, 2014 at 4:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Monday, February 17, 2014 at 7:24 p.m.

Occupation: Chiropractor; owner of Humiston Family Chiropractic since 2000.

Age: 43

Hometown: Brick, N.J.

Education: Undergraduate bachelor's degree in movement science from William Paterson University in Wayne, N.J., and Doctor of Chiropractic from Life University in Marietta, Ga.

Hobbies: Tennis, bowling, golf and novice gardening.

You're originally from New Jersey. What brought you to Hendersonville?

Quick story is I graduated from chiropractic college and knew I'd like to settle into the Carolinas, so I moved to Winston-Salem to be near my dad and brother and began to work for several chiropractors. Approximately a year later I received a letter from a chiropractic group in Asheville looking for a chiropractor to help open and operate a new satellite office in South Asheville. I found the letter very inspiring, so I called the chiropractor and immediately was asked to come to interview for that position.

At the interview I was introduced to the entire staff. Yes, as fate would have it, I met my wife-to-be, as she had been the office manager for nearly 10 years there. Long story short, I was fortunately hired and thankful for the opportunity to work with this chiropractor. Soon after my contract ended, Donna and I looked to Hendersonville as a place to call home. We opened our office in March and got married in June of 2000 here in Hendersonville.

You've had your office on Seventh Avenue near Lowe's for 14 years. In addition to its growth, how has your practice changed over the years?

Our core focus has and will always remain the same. We help people improve their spine and nervous system to allow their body to heal naturally by making precise spinal corrections. I also offer a variety of therapies that aid in gaining strength in those areas of their spine that are weak and unstable; and teach patients individualized exercises that they can perform on their own, in between visits, that help hold the adjustments longer, saving them time and money.

I make sure people are moving as soon as they get into the office. We all know we need to move more. I want my patients to take advantage of moving better without the aches and pains they had previously. I also would like people to know we carry "whole food supplements" to help people get extra healthy nutrients that fill the gaps when their food choices are not up to par.

You're a competitive bowler and tennis player. How has your chiropractic practice informed how you approach those sports?

I enjoy these two sports because they are fun and competitive. I have been an active league bowler for what feels like a lifetime. I have been bowling since I was about 5 years old. I bowled on my high school team and had the honor of being recruited to the second-leading bowling college in the nation at the time. Although my quest for being a professional bowler ended while in college, I continued to bowl competitively in leagues wherever I lived.

More recently I've been focused on elevating my game, receiving guidance with a professional bowler named Jeff Schrum from Cherryville. These lessons have already paid off because I finished in first place for high 3-game series and third place in all events out of about 75 other bowlers at the 2013 United States Bowling Congress Association Tournament this past November at Tar Heel Lanes.

As for tennis, I started about seven years ago. Now I am competing throughout the year in the various leagues put together through the United States Tennis Association. I love the game of tennis because it requires alertness and tactical thinking, which has the ability to generate new connections between nerves in the brain and promote a lifetime of continuing development of the body and brain.

Also, you learn to manage mistakes by learning to play within your abilities, and it's becoming more evident that managing and minimizing mistakes in tennis or life is critical.

Both of these sports and of course the multitude of others have inherent movements and common injuries associated. I have been able to help a lot of fellow teammates and even competitors with many of their spinal and extremity conditions. We joke a lot in the office when a sporting friend comes in; I ask them, 'Am I playing against you or your team today, or this week?'

If they happen to be my opponent, I tell them I have a 'special adjustment' for you today ... that gets a laugh all the time. Most sports are one-sided in nature, and chiropractic helps athletes gain and maintain balance in structure and optimize flexibility in the joints used the most.

You have three young daughters. Have any of them shown an interest in bowling or tennis?

Our girls are 4, 7 and 11 and they are full of fun times. They are extremely talented in their own ways. We take them bowling at Tar Heel Lanes several times a year with friends. And our two oldest children have been involved in the kids' tennis programs organized by Henderson County Community Tennis Association.

What, in layman's terms, is "vertebral subluxation," and how does it affect the body?

I think it's important to preface it by first defining the role of our nervous system. Your nervous system is so vital that key parts are protected by bone. The skull protects your brain. From the brain, the nerve impulses travel down the spinal cord — the " information superhighway" of your nervous system. Your spinal cord is protected by the 24 moving bones of your spine, called vertebrae.

Nerves branch out between the vertebrae and travel to all areas of the body. A person cannot take a step without the brain telling the body to move. Like a circuit breaker, when the vertebrae become misaligned or unable to move properly, it irritates and puts pressure on the nerves. This is called a 'vertebral subluxation.'

The message from the brain is slowed down and the life energy carried by the nerve is unable to reach the organs and tissues at 100 percent of its potential. A chiropractor aligns the vertebrae through gentle adjustments to the spine, relieving the pressure on the nerves and allowing 100 percent of the nerve energy to reach the tissues it serves. My primary goal is to help the body by removing interferences to this nervous system called vertebral subluxations by way of spinal adjustments.

How much of your practice is spent dealing with back pain, particularly lower back pain?

In our office we have approximately 50 percent of patients coming to us for the relief of their lower back pain. The lower portion of the spine near the belt line has a role in balancing the upper portion of the body. Although there are many causes of lower back pain, it is my opinion that repetitive stress like sitting too long (sedentary lifestyle), or bending and twisting while lifting (wear and tear) are the most common causes of lower back pain.

When ligaments and muscles are strained daily, they tear microscopically and then heal with scar tissue. When the spine doesn't have ideal support, pain often begins to make one aware of the injury. However, in most cases people don't give the lower back injury in this case enough time to heal. So negative changes occur within, like spurs and/or spinal disc decay, and commonly nerve pain (a.k.a., pinched nerve). We offer chiropractic care to help people regain spinal strength by correcting alignment and reducing nerve pressure over time.

If a client comes to you who is restless because he don't sleep well, what chiropractic treatments are available to help?

Too many people are suffering from a variety of sleep disorders. Let me first state there are many causes of sleep disorders and I do not claim to be a sleep expert. However, when you mention "restless sleep," this is usually defined when people don't get quality sleep.

From a chiropractic perspective, when people are in pain, often they don't sleep well. They wake up frequently when they need to turn, or have trouble finding a comfortable position. This results in feeling tired or exhausted. People who have poor sleep usually have a weaker immune system, poorer coordination and don't make the correct quantity or quality of "healing" chemicals. I think chiropractic offers people a natural way to feel better, which then results in resting or sleeping better.

How important is good posture to proper spinal health, or to health in general?

Wow. This may be the most important aspect of health, but often overlooked! We go as far as taking digital photos of all our patient's postures to review them in detail. Posture is the window to the spine, and poor posture can often indicate there is a problem with a person's spine and nervous system.

One of the first indicators of poor posture is a slouching or forward head posture. If you slouch, you will one-day say ouch! This posture will cause more strain on the posterior neck muscles, commonly causing headaches, and neck or shoulder pains. It also increases the weight bearing on the discs that are like shock absorbers in the spine and can lead to premature arthritis of the neck.

There are many causes of this type of posture, including car accidents, sports injuries, working with computers, or playing games on smartphones and kids carrying heavy backpacks. Posture problems can also result simply from poor sleep habits or sleeping on mattresses that don't offer enough support. When you think about the positions we place our bodies in either at work, at school or just around the house, it is obvious we need to be more conscious of protecting our health through better posture.

You are a big advocate of proper nutrition. What's the easiest dietary change someone can make on a path toward healthier eating?

Even though I am a big advocate of proper nutrition, I still struggle to make consistent healthy dietary choices myself. The fact is food is fuel, and we need to eat the most nutritious foods available. I think most people know they can do better, so I would recommend we make small changes over time. Support our farmers by eating local; then at least you are aware of the source and quality of the foods you put in your body. Also, stay hydrated by drinking more pure or filtered water every day.

<p><b>Occupation: </b>Chiropractor; owner of Humiston Family Chiropractic since 2000.</p><p><b>Age:</b> 43</p><p><b>Hometown:</b> Brick, N.J.</p><p><b>Education:</b> Undergraduate bachelor's degree in movement science from William Paterson University in Wayne, N.J., and Doctor of Chiropractic from Life University in Marietta, Ga.</p><p><b>Hobbies:</b> Tennis, bowling, golf and novice gardening.</p><p><b>You're originally from New Jersey. What brought you to Hendersonville?</b></p><p>Quick story is I graduated from chiropractic college and knew I'd like to settle into the Carolinas, so I moved to Winston-Salem to be near my dad and brother and began to work for several chiropractors. Approximately a year later I received a letter from a chiropractic group in Asheville looking for a chiropractor to help open and operate a new satellite office in South Asheville. I found the letter very inspiring, so I called the chiropractor and immediately was asked to come to interview for that position. </p><p>At the interview I was introduced to the entire staff. Yes, as fate would have it, I met my wife-to-be, as she had been the office manager for nearly 10 years there. Long story short, I was fortunately hired and thankful for the opportunity to work with this chiropractor. Soon after my contract ended, Donna and I looked to Hendersonville as a place to call home. We opened our office in March and got married in June of 2000 here in Hendersonville. </p><p><b>You've had your office on Seventh Avenue near Lowe's for 14 years. In addition to its growth, how has your practice changed over the years?</b></p><p>Our core focus has and will always remain the same. We help people improve their spine and nervous system to allow their body to heal naturally by making precise spinal corrections. I also offer a variety of therapies that aid in gaining strength in those areas of their spine that are weak and unstable; and teach patients individualized exercises that they can perform on their own, in between visits, that help hold the adjustments longer, saving them time and money. </p><p>I make sure people are moving as soon as they get into the office. We all know we need to move more. I want my patients to take advantage of moving better without the aches and pains they had previously. I also would like people to know we carry "whole food supplements" to help people get extra healthy nutrients that fill the gaps when their food choices are not up to par.</p><p><b>You're a competitive bowler and tennis player. How has your chiropractic practice informed how you approach those sports?</b></p><p>I enjoy these two sports because they are fun and competitive. I have been an active league bowler for what feels like a lifetime. I have been bowling since I was about 5 years old. I bowled on my high school team and had the honor of being recruited to the second-leading bowling college in the nation at the time. Although my quest for being a professional bowler ended while in college, I continued to bowl competitively in leagues wherever I lived. </p><p>More recently I've been focused on elevating my game, receiving guidance with a professional bowler named Jeff Schrum from Cherryville. These lessons have already paid off because I finished in first place for high 3-game series and third place in all events out of about 75 other bowlers at the 2013 United States Bowling Congress Association Tournament this past November at Tar Heel Lanes. </p><p>As for tennis, I started about seven years ago. Now I am competing throughout the year in the various leagues put together through the United States Tennis Association. I love the game of tennis because it requires alertness and tactical thinking, which has the ability to generate new connections between nerves in the brain and promote a lifetime of continuing development of the body and brain. </p><p>Also, you learn to manage mistakes by learning to play within your abilities, and it's becoming more evident that managing and minimizing mistakes in tennis or life is critical.</p><p>Both of these sports and of course the multitude of others have inherent movements and common injuries associated. I have been able to help a lot of fellow teammates and even competitors with many of their spinal and extremity conditions. We joke a lot in the office when a sporting friend comes in; I ask them, 'Am I playing against you or your team today, or this week?' </p><p>If they happen to be my opponent, I tell them I have a 'special adjustment' for you today ... that gets a laugh all the time. Most sports are one-sided in nature, and chiropractic helps athletes gain and maintain balance in structure and optimize flexibility in the joints used the most.</p><p><b>You have three young daughters. Have any of them shown an interest in bowling or tennis? </b></p><p>Our girls are 4, 7 and 11 and they are full of fun times. They are extremely talented in their own ways. We take them bowling at Tar Heel Lanes several times a year with friends. And our two oldest children have been involved in the kids' tennis programs organized by Henderson County Community Tennis Association.</p><p><b>What, in layman's terms, is "vertebral subluxation," and how does it affect the body?</b></p><p>I think it's important to preface it by first defining the role of our nervous system. Your nervous system is so vital that key parts are protected by bone. The skull protects your brain. From the brain, the nerve impulses travel down the spinal cord — the " information superhighway" of your nervous system. Your spinal cord is protected by the 24 moving bones of your spine, called vertebrae.</p><p>Nerves branch out between the vertebrae and travel to all areas of the body. A person cannot take a step without the brain telling the body to move. Like a circuit breaker, when the vertebrae become misaligned or unable to move properly, it irritates and puts pressure on the nerves. This is called a 'vertebral subluxation.' </p><p>The message from the brain is slowed down and the life energy carried by the nerve is unable to reach the organs and tissues at 100 percent of its potential. A chiropractor aligns the vertebrae through gentle adjustments to the spine, relieving the pressure on the nerves and allowing 100 percent of the nerve energy to reach the tissues it serves. My primary goal is to help the body by removing interferences to this nervous system called vertebral subluxations by way of spinal adjustments.</p><p><b>How much of your practice is spent dealing with back pain, particularly lower back pain?</b></p><p>In our office we have approximately 50 percent of patients coming to us for the relief of their lower back pain. The lower portion of the spine near the belt line has a role in balancing the upper portion of the body. Although there are many causes of lower back pain, it is my opinion that repetitive stress like sitting too long (sedentary lifestyle), or bending and twisting while lifting (wear and tear) are the most common causes of lower back pain. </p><p>When ligaments and muscles are strained daily, they tear microscopically and then heal with scar tissue. When the spine doesn't have ideal support, pain often begins to make one aware of the injury. However, in most cases people don't give the lower back injury in this case enough time to heal. So negative changes occur within, like spurs and/or spinal disc decay, and commonly nerve pain (a.k.a., pinched nerve). We offer chiropractic care to help people regain spinal strength by correcting alignment and reducing nerve pressure over time. </p><p><b>If a client comes to you who is restless because he don't sleep well, what chiropractic treatments are available to help?</b></p><p>Too many people are suffering from a variety of sleep disorders. Let me first state there are many causes of sleep disorders and I do not claim to be a sleep expert. However, when you mention "restless sleep," this is usually defined when people don't get quality sleep. </p><p>From a chiropractic perspective, when people are in pain, often they don't sleep well. They wake up frequently when they need to turn, or have trouble finding a comfortable position. This results in feeling tired or exhausted. People who have poor sleep usually have a weaker immune system, poorer coordination and don't make the correct quantity or quality of "healing" chemicals. I think chiropractic offers people a natural way to feel better, which then results in resting or sleeping better. </p><p><b>How important is good posture to proper spinal health, or to health in general? </b></p><p>Wow. This may be the most important aspect of health, but often overlooked! We go as far as taking digital photos of all our patient's postures to review them in detail. Posture is the window to the spine, and poor posture can often indicate there is a problem with a person's spine and nervous system. </p><p>One of the first indicators of poor posture is a slouching or forward head posture. If you slouch, you will one-day say ouch! This posture will cause more strain on the posterior neck muscles, commonly causing headaches, and neck or shoulder pains. It also increases the weight bearing on the discs that are like shock absorbers in the spine and can lead to premature arthritis of the neck. </p><p>There are many causes of this type of posture, including car accidents, sports injuries, working with computers, or playing games on smartphones and kids carrying heavy backpacks. Posture problems can also result simply from poor sleep habits or sleeping on mattresses that don't offer enough support. When you think about the positions we place our bodies in either at work, at school or just around the house, it is obvious we need to be more conscious of protecting our health through better posture.</p><p><b>You are a big advocate of proper nutrition. What's the easiest dietary change someone can make on a path toward healthier eating? </b></p><p>Even though I am a big advocate of proper nutrition, I still struggle to make consistent healthy dietary choices myself. The fact is food is fuel, and we need to eat the most nutritious foods available. I think most people know they can do better, so I would recommend we make small changes over time. Support our farmers by eating local; then at least you are aware of the source and quality of the foods you put in your body. Also, stay hydrated by drinking more pure or filtered water every day.</p>